Spinal Cord Injuries

What is a Spinal Cord Injury?

The spinal column, which encloses the spinal cord, consists of 33 bones, called vertebrae. Each of the vertebrae has an opening in the center. The bones are stacked one on top of the other and the spinal cord runs through the openings in the vertebrae. Although the vertebrae protect the soft tissues of the spinal cord most of the time, vertebrae can still be broken or dislocated due to traumatic injuries to the spinal cord. The portion of the spinal cord that is injured and the severity of the injury will determine which bodily functions have been affected. Traumatic injuries from automobile accidents and falls or any type of physical trauma that crushes and compromises the vertebrae in the spinal cord can cause irreversible and permanent damage to the effected level of the spinal cord as well as the area of the body below where the injury occurred.

Spinal cord injuries can also lead to other medical problems and conditions such as degeneration of the nerves, which can cause the victim to have difficulty moving his arms or legs, allodynia (hypersensitivity) in the affected paraspinal area, chronic neuropathic (nerve) pain, spasticity (loss of muscle control causing stiff awkward movement) and limitations of bladder or bowel function as well as psychological injury.

What Should I do if I Have Sustained a Spinal Cord Injury?

The first thing you should do if you have sustained an injury to you spinal cord is consult a doctor. The National Institute of Health highly encourages you to seek immediate medical care because the length of time between the occurrence of the injury and the medical attention can affect the outcome of your recovery. If you have sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury as a result of the fault of another party, either from an automobile accident, fall down or other type of traumatic event, you should also consult with an attorney who is experienced in handling spinal cord injury cases.

Attorney Michael P. Foley, Jr., an experienced civil trial attorney, can assist you with your case, as he did with the 27 year old man who sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury as a result of a fall down stairs which had collapsed at work. $3,825,450.00 arbitration award for a 27 year old man who sustained a spinal cord injury when the stairs collapsed at work .

If you would like further information on how to pursue a spinal cord injury claim, please fill out the contact form or call us at (203) 250-7212. We will be happy to assist you with your claim and answer any questions that you may have regarding your case.